Royal Canadian Mint Fine Silver Moon Mask Coins
2009 Summer Moon Mask $20 Silver Coin
Moon of haunting delight
Imagine how this sight must have captivated people in historic times. Throughout the world, the moon was a mystery as it would wax and wane - then disappear completely for a time. What power early civilizations must have bestowed that mysterious otherworld as it grew ever larger and illuminated the night sky.
In North America, First Nations people felt an intimate connection with the moon and sought to capture its symbolism in their ceremonial masks. The Coast Salish people of British Columbia are known throughout the world for the powerful images they carved into wood; expressions of an ancient culture that are emerging as a popular art form today.
Although these masks are created by modern hands, they preserve the vision that was established by the artist's ancestors centuries ago. They are a unique bridge to the spirit world with a sacred power that transcends time - and seen through the eyes of magic.
2013 Grandmother Moon Mask -$25 Fine Silver Ultra High Relief Coin
To many First Nations tribes, the moon is a sacred symbol. Because it brightens the darkness and rules the tides, the moon is seen as a powerful protector, grandmother, and matron of the earth. First Nations often carved masks to express the intimate relationship between nature and people—such as the Grandmother Moon, artist Richard Cochrane’s interpretation of the moon smiling down at him and onto the earth.
The Royal Canadian Mint has recreated the Grandmother Moon mask in ultra high relief to translate this beautiful hand-carved mask into a fine silver coin.
2014 Matriarch Moon Mask -$25 Fine Silver Ultra High Relief Coin
First Nations culture is rich with profound wisdom that eloquently expresses the inter-connectedness between humanity and all of nature. The terms “Mother Earth” and “Grandmother Moon” clearly reflect the similarities that First Nations people see between these two spheres and the foundational and nourishing role women play in their communities.
2015 Singing Moon Mask -$25 Fine Silver Ultra High Relief Coin 3-Coin Set
Singing is an integral part of First Nations cultures throughout North America—so integral in fact, that many Aboriginal languages don't have a word for "music." People sing day or night to thank Mother Earth for all her gifts; to express love; to heal the sick; to ask for a successful hunt; to seek guidance. Night is a particularly magical time for the K'ómoks and Kwakwaka'wakw First Nations in British Columbia as the community comes together to sing to the rhythmic beat of a drum. As masked dancers breathe movement into the song, the outside world falls away and the melody floats to the sky. Sound waves become moonlight and stars dance to reveal the inter-connectivity of all things. A beautiful 3-coin set showcasing three beautiful finishes all in one set. Each coin is struck in ultra-high relief with extra-deep contours that have been carved into the coin's surface, which can only be achieved through additional strikes and extensive hand-crafting and polishing.